The Reception of Aristotle in Martin Luther’s Late Theological Writings

Abstract

: The ambiguous legacy of Martin Luther, the sixteenth-century German reformer, includes his expressive, intellectual reactions to Aristotle’s ideas. His vehement criticism of the ancient philosopher in some of his later writings may have eclipsed Luther’s more balanced reception of Aristotle in his early career. Furthermore, careful distinctions must be made between Luther’s views on medieval Aristotelianism vs the original ideas of Aristotle. Finally, when assessing the German reformer’s appraisal of Aristotle, it is vital to distinguish between the vertical, coram Deo , horizontal, coram hominibus , human situate-dness, and interaction dimensions. This article argues that, despite the strong rejection of Aristotle’s usefulness for theology by Luther, we can discern a limited use of Aristotelian categories by Luther when dealing with some matters of politics and ethics (the rule of law in a state and an individual’s virtues). Based on Luther’s mature writings, we will examine Luther’s notions of sin, concupiscence, justification, divine grace, and human will, as these topics resona-te in his treatment of Aristotle’s philosophical heritage.